Cork’s Mother Jones Festival 
Back where it all began – committee members and guests at the original baptismal font in Cork’s North Cathedral, where the infant Mary Harris was baptised on 1st August 1837. 
Mother Jones plaque unveiled in Cork’s historic Shandon area 
Rosemary Feurer, US writer / director and maker of the documentary film “Mother Jones, the Most Dangerous Woman in America”, addresses the crowd after the unveiling of the plaque to Mother Jones. Also in photo (L-R) are committee members Jim Fitzpatrick, Michael Lally (Manager of Maldron Hotel Cork) and Richard Cooke. 
Marat Moore at the summit of Croagh Patrick mountain, Co. Mayo, Ireland after last year’s inaugural Cork Mother Jones Festival 
Rosemary Feurer and Ger O’Mahony at the Mother Jones Lecture 2012 
Andy Irvine – a unique performance at Shandon 
Kaiulani Lee 
Prof. Elliott J. Gorn 
Mother Jones “An American Life” by Prof. Elliott J. Gorn
The Cork Mother Jones Festival has been called “an outstanding success” by Jim Nolan of the organizing committee.
“The Mother Jones festival was an outstanding success in every way for Shandon and Cork; it achieved massive local national and international publicity for our community
“Mother Jones is now finally back in her native place and we have made up for the failure to honour this brave and courageous woman who was born in this community 175 year ago”.
Jim Nolan
The festival, organised by a voluntary committee in association with the Shandon Street Festival, concluded recently after three days of celebrations in and around the ancient historical community of Shandon, taking in the North Chapel, St.Anne’s Church, the Firkin Crane Centre and the Maldron Hotel (the old North Infirmary).
The highlight was the unveiling of a plaque designed by Mick Wilkins to commemorate Mother Jones on John Redmond Street on the evening of Wednesday 1st August. Fortunately glorious sunshine arrived for the unveiling event which was performed by Cllr. Ted Tynan and Jim Nolan of the Shandon Street Festival. Music was provided by the Butter Exchange Band and Norman O’Rourke and the American and Irish National Anthems were played.
Capacity crowds were present for all events. Professor Rosemary Feurer’s film Mother Jones, the Most Dangerous Woman in America was shown three times during the festival to cater for the number of people wishing to see it. The ground-breaking Andy Irvine concert at St.Anne’s Shandon was performed before a sell out crowd of almost 300 people.
The festival was opened by Lord Mayor John Buttimer at the Firkin Crane on Wednesday morning 1st. The Lord Mayor praised the work of the voluntary committee who had constructed a highly interesting series of events, talks, music, concerts and an exhibition on the life of Mother Jones by Jim Fitzpatrick. A concert organized by Richard T Cooke featuring a host of Cork talent attracted a capacity attendance to the Firkin.
The inaugural Mother Jones lectures provided a focus for some stirring debates on the afternoon with Joe O’Flynn, General Secretary of SIPTU, Professor Elliott Gorn of Brown University and Marat Moore, author and founder of the Daughters of Mother Jones. This event also featured a wondeful re-creation of the speeches of Mother Jones performed by internationally renowned actress Kaiulani Lee.
The festival, which attracted huge publicity for Shandon featured on TV3 and most of the national media, also attracted international media attention with even a front page story on the Mount Olive Herald and in the widely read Mother Jones Magazine as well as numerous labour and history websites throughout North America.
A host of Cork artists and musicians appeared at the festival, including Two Time Polka, Hank Wedel, Jim Williamson, Cork Memory Lane Group, Hugh Moynihan, the Cork Singers Club, Richard T Cooke, traditional musicians, while Andy Irvine played at a sell out concert at St.Anne’s Shandon.
Following a recent meeting of the organising committee, it was decided to hold the annual Mother Jones festival in 2013 in Shandon from Tuesday 30th July to Thursday 1st August. Further announcements will be made in relation to the events as they are confirmed.
The Mother Jones Festival 2012
- Unveiling of Mother Jones Plaque in Shandon, Cork
- The Making of a Monument – The creation of the Mother Jones Commemorative Plaque by sculptor Mick Wilkins.
- Speech by Marat Moore (Former US Miner, Author and a “Daughter of Mother Jones”)
- Guest Speaker: Professor Eliott J. Gorn (Historian and Author of “Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman in America”)
- Guest Speakers: Marat Moore and Rosemary Feurer (Associate Professor Northern Illinois University)
- Guest Speaker and Actress: Kaiulani Lee (Acclaimed stage performer and writer in the role of Mother Jones in Can’t Scare Me, the Story of Mother Jones. )
- “The Walking Wrath of God” a Speech by Professor Eliott J. Gorn at the Firkin Crane
- Mother Jones Festival starts today July 30th 2012
- Big turnout at Mother Jones festival opening events
- Unveiling of the Mother Jones Plaque – the video
- Mother Jones festival “an outstanding success”
Music and Mother Jones
- Songs inspired by Mother Jones
- Mother Jones – by Andy Irvine
- Mother Jones by Lila Downs
- The Death of Mother Jones – Gene Autry
- Music by Richard T. Cooke and Jim McCarthy
- Details of lunchtime concert (August 1st)
- Music at the 2012 Mother Jones Festival
- Andy Irvine tickets in big demand
- A new Cork Song about Mother Jones by Teresa Ni Charthaigh
- Mother Jones Festival Cork’s Photostream
- Photos added to our website
Preparing for the Mother Jones Festival
- Mother Jones Commemorative Coin
- Cork Mother Jones Coin / Medallion
- Cork Plans for Mother Jones Festival
- Countdown begins to Mother Jones Festival
- Donations to the Cork Mother Jones Committee
- Mother Jones events programme announced
- Poster for Cork’s Mother Jones Festival
- Mother Jones events programme (text format)
The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 